Crash Landing
by Tie-grr
Summary: Severus falls into the Black Lake in the middle of the Winter and it's up to Minerva to care for him.. Please R
1. Flying High

Severus couldn't stop the rare smile that spread on his lips as he looked out over the snow covered grounds. There had been a fresh snow just a few hours ago and nobody had yet walked on it. It was the simple things that made him happy, as well as many other people. Like his being the first foot prints in the fresh snow. That lovely crunch under his feet just made the experience better. At least nobody was around to see him enjoying himself just walking down the sloped ground. His thick black cloak was now flecked with spots of white snow. In his gloved hand he held a broomsitck, top of the range thanks to his friendship with Lucius Malfoy. He had enjoyed flying whilst he was a student and only ever now used a broom for refereeing Quidditch matchs or missions for the Dark Lord. It was about time he flew for his own enjoyment. Making it to level ground he let the broomstick hover at his side as he adjusted his scarf so it covered most of his face. He refastened his cloak and mounted the broom. Casting a glance around him, he kicked off hard and soared into the air.

He had expected the cold air to bite at him as he flew higher but he barely noticed it, even as his cloak flapped open. He was just enjoying himself too much to care. After several minutes of whizzing around in circles he decided to do a few more tricky moves. Loops, spins, spirals and dives were all moves that he knew well and easily executed them. This was the best way to just relax in his mind. The wind whipped his hair around his face but he kept his hand firmly on the handle as he sped up to dizzying speeds. He was completely in a world of his own.

As Severus soared as a black spec in the sky, somebody else made there way out of the main doors of the castle. Minerva was planning on having a nice walk beside the lake and reached the edge before noticing a figure above her. She had to squint but eventually she recognized the man as Severus. She contemplated calling up to him but he was too high, there was no way he would hear her. So with a shrug of her shoulders, she started her walk.

High up above her, the Potions Master was still having fun. That was until a bloody great bird flew out of nowhere, colliding with the front of his broom. The handle veered him off course and sent him into a nose dive. The shock of what was happening caused him to pull up but the broomstick just wouldn't react. He then made the mistake of taking his hands off the handle, but he needed his wand! As soon as he relinquished control, the broom spun him and he fell, crashing into the freezing cold black lake. All the air rushed out of his lungs as his body was enveloped in the freezing water. His hands fumbled around his pockets for his wand as he managed to keep his head above the water. The cold was causing him to lose feeling in his hands and the water soaking his clothes slowly dragged him down. Taking one last gulp of air he sank under the water, the ice cold biting into his skin through his clothes.

Struggling to pull his wand from his pocket he found himself being dragged underwater. He felt something tugging at his ankle just as he pulled his wand free. Aiming a curse at the bind he started to swim back up to the surface. He was gradually getting colder and colder but he had to reach the surface. He took in a deep gulp of air as soon as he surfaced, the cold air like ice in his lungs. Bringing his shaking hand out of the water he used a spell to project himself straight to shore, forgetting about the broom. He was literally washed up on shore, wheezing as the breaths caused him such incredible pain. He struggled to hold onto his wand but it slowly rolled away from him. Closing his eyes, he let the darkness envelop him.

Minerva had heard the loud splash out on the lake and spun around to see what on earth could have made that noise. After a moment scanning the water, she didn't see anything. That was when she noticed Severus was no longer in the sky. Her eyes widened and she rushed to the spot where she could see he was directing himself now that he had surfaced.

"Severus!" She reached him just as he slipped out of it. She cursed under her breath and drew her own wand from under her cloak. At least she could take care of him, it was lucky she had been there. She used a quick spell to dry him out and warm him up before levitating him just a few feet in the air. He needed to see Madam Pomfrey. Now. "Severus.." She whispered, watching his still face. There was little chance of him being in too much danger, but there was still that little chance.. Wasn't there?

_I know it's a short start but there's more to come.. Make up for my other unfinished one :P_

_Please review :)_

_Doggie_


	2. Hot Or Cold?

The day was certainly dragging on for Poppy Pomfrey. It hadn't been that long since she had gotten out of bed, affording herself some extra sleep seeing as there were no patients occupting the beds. She milled around the hospital wing, taking down armful after armful of rememdies and potions just so she could maually wipe the shelf down and rearrange the vials. The house elves always made sure the hospital wing was spotless but the mundane muggle task killed some time. She was just rising from her chair to tackle the cabinet near the doors when they suddenly burst open. The shock caused her to shreik and jump backwards.

"What in Merlin's name? Minerva?" She gasped when she had gathered her wits and noticed who had nearly caused her to have heart failure. She opened her mouth to speak again but it simply hung open when she saw the Potions Master behind her friend. He was dangerously pale, his skin tinting blue despite the fact Minerva had tried to warm him. Within seconds the matron had regained her wits and rushed forwards. "What happened to him?"

The two women took him to the nearest bed and Poppy took over, gently levitating him down to the bed. He was still out cold. Minerva's hands trembled as she watched the man, her face flushed from the sudden warmth of the castle compared to outside.

"Minerva?" Poppy prompted as she started to remove Severus' scarf and gloves. She lay a heavy blanket over him and hurried across the room in search of something to help the unconscious man.

"He fell in the black lake. He was flying above it and.. I don't know.. He just.. Fell.." She finally managed to say. Minerva McGonagall rarely struggled to speak.

"The black lake." The matron repeated through the clink clink sounds of vials hitting off each other. She suddenly scurried back with a vial of thick red liquid, examining it briefly before uncorking it.

"What is that?" Minerva asked, her eyes only leaving his pale face for the briefest of seconds. The red 'goo' didn't look too appealing.

"It will warm him up and wake him. And it will give me a chance to assess how his body took the blow." She explained whilst lifting his head a little and pouring the liquid into his mouth. Severus reacted almost immediately, swallowing down the potion. He grimaced and stuck his tongue out like a child did when experiencing a bad taste. Had he really made something that tasted that foul? His whole body shuddered as heat flooded through his body from the pit of his stomach, reaching the tips of his toes and fingers. His eyes still remained closed but he was awake, and proved so by wearing when he tried to move his right arm.

"Stop." Poppy instructed, pushing past Minerva so she could examine his arm, much to Severus' annoyance and protest. "Broken. Most likely from hiting the water from such a height. I can fix the bone but you will still suffer pain for a while."

Severus merely grunted in response and in no time his arm was as good as new. But his health took a turn for the worse all of a sudden. No matter how hard he tried, he couldn't stop the shivering that had taken over his body. He felt cold again, so cold, worry filled his body as well as that of the woman standing at his bedside. Poppy looked concerned as she rushed off again,hoping to be able to make a diagnosis. Minerva jumped when she felt a touch on her hand, relaxing momentarily when she realised it was Severus' hand. Then he clutched onto her for dear life and she grew even more concerned. He was so cold again..

_Sorry for the long wait.. And sorry it's short and crap._

_Doggie_


	3. Poppy or Minerva?

The next few hours were close to physical torture for Minerva athough she would never admit it aloud. Perhaps she should have gotten him to the hospital wing sooner, would things have been better if she knew more about healing so she could have helped him there? She sat at his bed side as the young wizard shivered on and off, trying to sleep between shivering fits. It was a distressing sight. Each time he made a small noise or a flicker of discomfort crossed his features she felt a tug within her. This feeling confused her, her mind already denying the possiblity that she might have feelings for her former student.

Although she denied it now, there were times in the past where she had found herself admiring the potions master. Honestly, who couldn't find him attractive? Dark hair that framed a pale face, his tall, slim build (She had seen muscles under those robes once or twice) and those eyes, full of secrets and mystery. And, of course, that voice. A voice that could cause any woman to melt in an instant. It was the voice of her dreams, that voice soothed her, aggravated her, advised her, and, though she would never admit it outside of her internal thoughts, even aroused her.

Her eyes were drawn to his face when he mumbled something incoherent. His eyes were open and he was looking straight at her. There was no panic in those dark orbs anymore, just a tiredness from his ordeal. These litle shivering fits, which Poppy had assured Minerva would pass with time, left very little time to rest. The involuntary movement was a mixture of him being naturally cold in hisc ore and the effect of the many potions he had been fed. He opened his mouth to try and speak again.

"How long have you been sitting there?" His voice was hoarse and quiet but he could at least talk. Minerva poured him a glass of water which he quickly accepted. The contents disappeared in a few short seconds. He handed the glass back to her. "Thank you."

She hesitated in answering him, Merlin knows why. She considered him her friend and she had every right to wait at his bedside the entire time. But why did she feel like revealing she had been there for hours, hadn't left his side once, was something that she shouldn't say? She didn't like all this confusion and anxiety, she was a grown woman for Merlin's sake! The answer finally left her lips. "Since I brought you here."

"You have been here that long?" He asked in disbelief as he looked to the clock hanging above the opposite bed. "That must be six hours or more."

"I know, is there a problem with that? Am I not allowed to sit with my friend to make sure he is alright?"

Her curt reply stunned him a little so he remained silent. Had she just referred to him as her friend? Well, that was new. He completely missed the way she looked away from him and the subtle confusion on her face. Men. "Well thank you, Minerva. But I am quite alright, would you mind helping me find my clothing? I don't have my wand either."

He started to sit up so he could leave the bed, Severus was never one to be bed-ridden, when two female voices suddenly cut him off from his actions.

"You are not getting out of that bed." Both the matron and the Deputy Headmistress said harshly. Poppy had appeared out of thin air, seemingly. If the women were surprised that they had said the exact same thing they didn't show it.

"Severus Snape, you are staying in that bed. You are ill and I cannot treat you if you insist on leaving my hospital wing!" The small matron had her hands on her hips.

"You cannot force me to stay here, Poppy. I am an adult, not one of the students you usually deal with."

"I can bind you to this bed, Severus." Minerva warned with that 'don't mess with me' stern look. Severus wasn't scared by it, though he had been at one point in his life.

"I am leaving this damn bed whether you like it or not. Now both of you move out of my way!" He snapped rather harshly as he pushed himself to his feet. Neither woman moved.

"I said-"

"I know what you said, Severus, but neither of us are going to move. If you would just sit down again Poppy can treat you and then you can go."

"Actually, he can't." The Matron piped up. "See, Severus needs supervision. These shivers you have are pretty much gone now but they can come back and a lot worse.. I need to be there. I had a case several years ago where a student didn't stop for two ye-"

"Get on with it." The wizard interrupted impatiently.

Poppy scowled at him. "For the next week you can either stay here to receive your potions, or you can stay with Minerva. Thankfully there aren't any classes on."

"Me?" Minerva asked, looking very much unlike her normal self, her eyes nearly bulging from her head. She didn't want him in her quarters, or to stay in his quarters even. The internal struggle was enough to deal with withough having him in close proximity 24 hours a day for a week! Her heart both dropped and soared (was that possible?) when she heard his words.

"Minerva. I choose Minerva."

R&R guys! :D

Doggie


	4. Giddy Girl

It hadn't taken long to get Severus ready to leave the hospital wing. Once Poppy had listed out what he needed to take he was able to pick them off the shelf in no time at all. He had made them, after all. The two women had left the room so he could dress and then, with strict instructions about what symptoms to look out for, the heads of Gryffindor and Slytherin were moving through the empty corridors.

Minerva hadn't felt this giddy for over fifty years. She was a mature woman in appearance but inside she flet like a giggling school girl. And it was all because of the man walking at her side. He hadn't said a word since they left the hospital wing but the silence was welcomed. That way she wouldn't melt into a puddle at the sound of his delicious voice.

They made their way down to the dungeons and she stepped aside so he could lift the wards on his door. Severus entered his rooms, holding the door open for her. She thanked him quietly and let it close as he disappeared through a door in the back of the living room.

She had been in his quarters many times for late night conversations or chess matches, and she was always welcomed with that masculine scent that was a certain potions master. She smiled to herself as she took a seat on the small sofa.

"I'm ready to go." Severus announced after several minutes, reappearing from his bedroom with a bag of things. It was awfully small for a week's worth of items.

"Go?" She questioned in confusion.

"Yes, go. To your quarters. I know you don't like the cold down here." He offered her with the slightest ghost of a smile on his lips, which didn't go unnoticed by the witch.

"That's nice of you, Severus, thank you." She got up and followed him to the door which he locked securely after them with several charms.

"Don't get used to it." He warned in his usual cold tone but there was a playful hint behind those words. And that caused her to nearly grin like a fool, she barely stopped herself in time. Lucky.

The long walk back up the school's many staircases was a silent one. Severus keot his pace slower than usual soi that she could keep up but Minerva wasn't paying too much attention. Her body was leading her to her quarters on auto pilot as her mind was certainly elsewhere.

_What was he carrying in that bag? What was he going to sleep in? Where was he going to sleep?_ Oh, this week was going to be torture.

"Minerva" The deep voice interrupted her train of thought. She suddenly realised that they were in front of her door, and had been for quite some time judging by Severus' face.

"Huh?" She swore internally. Cery intelligent. Unfortunately Severus picked up on her little stupor and smirked. She knew he would bring that up during one of their heated arguments.

"Are you going to open the door or are we going to stand out here all night?"

She nodded mutely and unlocked the door for them both. He closed it after them and looked around the room he knew rather well. Whilst Severus was busy Minerva moved to the fireplace and with a flick of her wand it burst into life. The clock on the mantlepiece struck midnight.

"Perhaps it is time to turn in. You need to rest anyway."

Severus merely shrugged. "You have a point. I don't want Poppy complaining, saying that I am 'killing myself' or something along those lines." He muttered.

Minerva smiled a little. Poppy did have a habit of making sure that the teachers took her medical advice, more so than the students, and would plague any member who didn't until they gave in.

"I shall fetch you a pillow and a blanket. The sofa is all I can offer but you can transfigure it in any way you want." Minerva said before she disappeared into her bedroom.

Severus cast a glance at the sofa once his colleague had disappeared. It didn't look too bad in the state it was. He let out a soft sigh of defeat and started to undress down to his shirt and trousers, looking up when Minerva reappeared.

The pillows and blanket exchanged hands with only a thanks from the wizard, both professors rather tired as well as feeling the tension of the situation. Minerva ignored the stop of her heart when his hand brushed hers. "Goodnight, sleep well."

True to form, he only grunted in response. His back was turned in an instant, taking with it his attention.

Whilst he was busy making his temporary bed Minerva hurried into her room and closed the door. She cursed herself over and over, willing herself to stop acting so foolishly. But she knew she wouldn't be sleeping much tonight, her dreams no doubt plagued by the man on her sofa.

_Hmmm, a late and rather bad reply. Oh well, enjoy :D_

_Doggie_

_Xx_


	5. Innocent Intentions

_Well, here we are folks, chapter five and finally some Severus POV! I am best at him so forgive my crap attempts at Minerva :P My updates will be even slower than usual! I have exams, but a wise man told me 'everything in moderation'. So you shall be getting some updates :)_

_This chapter is dedicated to Richard. I said I wouldn't name him, but I did. I named you, muahaha. And he wanted to be in the Dark Arts, aww :P He can join me there any day. So, here's to you, Sir, the teacher who definitely isn't inhuman and definitely has a life. He was on tv! ;)_

How on earth could anybody be expected to sit on this thing, let alone sleep on it? This was the most uncomfortable place he had ever tried to sleep! (And Severus Snape had had his fair share of nights under the stars). For what had to be the twentieth time in the last ten minutes he let out a muttered curse and rolled onto his side.

He was able to prop his back against the backof the sofa and just stared at the dying embers in the hearth just a few feet away. That warm glow had been the only highlight of his sleeping spot and now it had given up the ghost. _Fantastic._

A shiver raced through his body and he suddenly missed his bed, not for the first time that night. Minerva always complained that his dungeons were cold, but she lived in a tower! He was convinced that the damn winds howling outside were preventing the warmth from rising up to him in his make shift bed.

At some point during his several (unsuccessful) attempts at sleep he had managed to get himself tangled up in the painfully tartan blanket. _What was with that woman and her obsession with anything remotely Scottish? _He wrestled with the blanket that entrapped his feet before finally being released, only to feel himself teetering over the edge of the sofa cushions. The stone floor beneath didn't look too inviting. And he was right, it wasn't.

He dropped unceremoniously into a lump on the cold floor, a soft grunt escaping his lips. He hadn't been loud enough to wake his slumbering colleague in the next room, that he was thankful for. Many more muttered curse words left his lips before a familiar, heavenly smell caught his attention.

In the commontion he had caused trying to find something to hold onto, Severus appeared to have pulled something off the back of the sofa. He held the garment up to examine it but the dying fire didn't give off enough light. Resorting to touch, he started to feel over the fabric in an attempt to decipher it's identity.

There was no denying that it was the source of the scent that filled his nostrils, he was sure it was a sore of rose scent, but it took a moment or two for him to identify it. This thing was a cloak, a cloak he hadn't noticed before. _Minerva's_ cloak.

That's where he had smelt it before, the fragrance was utterly her. Whenever they got in each other's faces during a particularly heated argument it was all he could smell. He usually ignored it, but for some strange reason, tonight he was loving it.

He bunched up the garment to his face and inhaled deeply, savouring the.. _What was he doing? _His eyes widened when he realised that he had just been sniffing her cloak. Something wasn't right, and he didn't like that feeling. Something was bothering him, nagging at him in the depths of his mind, but he ignored it.

His brain immediately told him to get rid of the cloak as quickly as possible, and he happily obliged the voice in his head. Pushing himself from the floor, he made his way to the door at the back of the room. He would just open it silently and lay the cloak on the nearest piece of furniture. He could do that, right?

He gave himself a stern mental slap at this sudden nervousness and anxiety. What was he acting like? Turning the handle without a single sound, the potions master ducked into the bedroom.

It wasn't as dark in the room as he had been expecting, the moonlight shone through a break in the curtains, casting a slice of light across the end of the bed and illuminating the room with a low glow. He used this light to find the dresser near the door and draped the cloak over it. Job done. He turned back to the door with planning to leave when a sleepy moan sounded from behind him.

His entire body stiffened in anticipation of being caught in her room. This would not go well. He closed his eyes and waited to be questioned, but he was rewarded with only the sound of the bed's occupant turning over beofre continuing to sleep.

Why was he so jumpy allof a sudden? His intentions had been innocent, no hrm done. Satisfied in the knowledge that Minerva was still asleep he turned back to the door. At least, he had every intention of doing so.

He couldn't seem to wrench himself from the spot he was anchored to, his eyes never leaving the sleeping form. He could see her face, see how peaceful she looked with her hair all a mess around her. It made her look so.. Human.

He knew it was silly, but one never really loses that feeling that your school teachers are inhuman and have no lives. Even though he was now a teacher himself and had been, with a rather successful 'life' thank you very much, for over ten years. And he had worked by her side for all that time.

He shook his head of such silly and childish thoughts, refocusing on the woman not six feet away. She was still sleeping and that made him feel a little bit like a stalker of some kind, those things were on the muggle news now and then. So, with one last glance to her face, he slipped back out of the room.

Internally scolding himself Severus sat back down on the sofa. It felt even more uncomfortable than before, how was that even possible? But nevertheless he lay back down, staring up at the dark ceiling.

He didn't like these feelings that were rushing over him, they were confusing and made him feel like he was a teenager again. If anybody made him relive those horrible years he wouldn't hesitate in killing them, then himself, immediately.

He quickly turned his mind from the past but found no refuge in the present either. And he daren't think ot what the future could possibly hold for him. So he resigned himself to a night of very little sleep on this damn sofa. Well, maybe some sleep but very little rest and lots of aches and pains.

He fluffed up his pillow, not like it was going to help much, and rested down in his previous position. _One last try_, he thought to himself as he closed his eyes to wait for the darkness of sleep to envelope him in her sweet arms. But no sleep came. Instead he lurched up, swinging his legs over the edge of the sofa.

An almighty coughing fit tore through his body, completely out of the blue. Poppy had warned him that cold symptoms could hit him suddenly. And this was certainly sudden! He winced each time he took a jagged breath, in between the hacking coughs. His throat was now sore and no doubt his voice would be hoarse in the morning. _Merlin's beard, what a night._

A sudden realisation hit him and he grabbed his cloak from the armchair opposite the table. It didn't take him more than a few moments to locate the vial of sleeping draught. The Potions Master downed his concoction in one gulp, recorking the vial.

He felt very drowsy by the time he lay back down, barely having time to draw the blankets over himself before he was dead to the world. No dreams, just sleep, but there's no prizes for guessing who would have featured in them.

_Finally, a longer chapter :P_

_Enjoy, please R&R_

_Doggie Xx_


	6. Snape In The Shower

For as long as he could remember, Severus had always been an early riser. With his adult life it came as just a part of the package, teaching and spying left very few days for lie-ins. But even as a boy he was one of those kids who got up at eight every morning, even during the holidays. His Father wouldn't be happy if he was late. Perhaps the abuse he had endured as a child had shaped his day to day actions in more ways than he had imagined.

Regardless, he always got up early. Unlike today. That potion must have been one of his more potent concoctions because by the time he managed to force apart his heavy lids there was a fully dressed woman sitting at the desk through the adjoining door.

He supposed it was Minerva even though his vision had not yet cleared. Moving was an even greater struggle than focusing, his body screamed bloody murder at him as he forced himself into a sitting position.

"Good morning, sleeping beauty." The sarcasm dripped from Minerva's voice but Severus ignored it. Obviously he had made a noise that caught her attention, unaware that he had even done so.

"This thing cannot be called a sofa. Nobody could get any comfort from this thing even if they had a cushion strapped to their bloody backside." Ah, the famous Snape temper. Only took one night's bad sleep to put him in a foul mood for the better part of a week.

"Do grow up, Severus, I told you to transfigure it. It is your own fault that you failed to take my advice." She barely looked up from the paper she was correcting, her quill scratching against the rough parchment.

Severus scoffed at her and didn't bother replying. He didn't feel up to a battle right now. He needed to feel more awake for that. "Could I use your shower?"

He could have sworn he saw her jump, nearly dropping her quill as if it had bitten her. But after half a heart beat she was writing again, as if nothing had happened. But he noticed the flush to her cheeks, that light blush creeping onto her pale skin.

"Of course, you're staying here, you needn't ask." She answered stiffly as she buried herself in the next roll of parchment, trying to hide behind it.

A smirk formed on his lips but he did her a favour and bit his tongue. Although that reaction was amusing, and would be great material to use in an argument later on. But there was some other reaction that he felt within him. Shaking it off, he rose.

It took a few moments for his legs to work properly. He felt like he was a robot for several steps before they loosened finally.

He knew the way to Minerva's bathroom, it was an ensuite that lay through her bedroom. It was the same in all of the other teachers rooms. But towels were another thing entirely. His own were left for him by an elf every morning, entering and leaving before Snape was even up. They feared him, he disliked them. The arrangement was a win-win. But Minerva didn't seem to work that way.

After a few moments searching the room he found nothing of the fluffy, drying variety. Well, he certainly wasn't going to call an elf. Those creatures liked to gossip, the ones at Hogwarts did anyway, and he did not want to be openly seen in Minerva's bedroom, asking for towels.

In the end he settled on a spell. He cold lock himself in, shower, dry and dress quickly. Not to mention shave and brush his teeth. Grabbing his bag and retreating back within the bathroom, the door clicked as it locked.

He had to admit that he felt like he was on cloud nine. The hot water beat down on his back, soothing the muscles that had been twisted as he slept. For quite a while he stood under the cascade, his eyes closed, enjoying the water until he could tell his back was bright red. Not that he cared.

It was only when he had been in the shower for five minutes that he bothered to start actually washing himself. He washed his hair with the shampoo he had brought, contrary to popular belief he was his hair (his hair just hated him), and struggled to find a spot to put the bottle down.

Bloody woman had all sorts of potions and concoctions on the small shelf that left barely any room for his own bottle. In the end he managed to squeeze it between a bottle of shower gel and something else entirely _female_.

The warmth of the shower had soothed him nicely, and feeling clean and fresh did wonders to his previously foul mood. His hands rested on either side of the sink as he examined himself in the mirror just above it. Had he always been this pale? His eyes travelled over the reflection of his chest before he scoffed and pulled on his shirt.

Since when did he care about what he looked like? Well, he cared, but he was always making himself look intimidating or just plain frightening. He had never caught himself examining his own body in the mirror like that before. That was strange.

The fact that there were no classes to teach today meant Severus did not dress in his usual robes. He stopped at the pristine white shirt, tucking it into his stark black trousers. _There. Looking presentable at last._

He wasn't a man who was into all the latest fashions and what not, nor did he care how 'black isn't in this season'. Honestly, students needed lives other than those stupid magazines. But he did believe in making himself look decent. That was one thing he got from his Mother.

Leaving the bathroom meant travelling back through Minerva's bedroom which was all of a sudden occupied by the very woman who owned it. He had heard the footsteps heading this way as he had opened the door, but when Minerva came into view he pulled the door back up again.

She hadn't noticed him as she sat herself down on the bed and buried her face in her hands. What could have happened in the twenty minutes he had been gone?

Eventually her hands fell from her face to land in her lap, revealing flushed cheeks. She shook her head and muttered something to herself but he couldn't quite catch it. She then covered her face again.

"You foolish old woman." She scolded herself and Severus realised that whatever had happened was probably in her head - a troubling thought or memory. But as an almost knee-jerk reaction he heard a voice inside his head._ I don't think you're old._

It only took him a split second to realise that he had accidentally spoken aloud. The way her head snapped up and she looked directly at the door, the way she hiccoughed as if she had been caught crying. He gave in and slowly pushed the door to swing open, fully revealing himself.

The pair stared at each other for several long beats before Severus' cough took the chance to return at the worst moment. He covered his mouth and coughed into his fist a few times. It certainly hurt worse than it had the previous night but the coughing was a welcome distraction from the tension that had been building.

_Hope you enjoyed! Please, R&R :)_

_Doggie Xx_


	7. Foolish Old Woman

_Rating has now gone up for some future chapters!_

_I am sorry for such a late update, I had my mocks and then got sick.:( I'm still not 100% but at least I feel up to writing again!_

Minerva was surprised to find that not only had she slept in late that morning but her 'patient' had also. She had always assumed Severus would be up at the crack of dawn, ready to deduct points from any student who happened to cross his path on the way to breakfast. But it appeared she may have been wrong.

Having already dressed before leaving her room she stepped through her livingroom as quietly as she could. She contemplated turning into a cat for such a task but the room wasn't that large.

She had left the adjoining door to her office open so she could watch him from where she sat marking, (some infuriating students had insisted on giving her some work to correct over the holidays). She told herself that it was purely in case he should become worse but there was an unwanted voice in the back of her mind telling her otherwise.

She didn't have to fight the voice for too long as, before she knew it, Severus was awake and moving. A conversation was shared and then he was gone, away into her bathroom. To shower. Naked. In _her_ bathroom.

She mentally shook herself and returned to the rolls of parchment before her, she still hadn't marked more than one yet. And it seemed like she would never mark another at this rate. As soon as her quill tip touched the parchment the water was turned on behind her and all rational thought flew out of her head.

A groan escaped her lips as she let the quill drop and she buried her face in her hands. The bathroom was close to where she was sat. All she could hear was the relentless beating of the water on the floor of the shower. And all she would see was not appropriate at all. It was one thing to imagine a man wearing absolutely nothing, his body soapy and wet from the shower. But it was another thing when the young man in your mind was your colleague, had been your student and was several decades your junior. So why didn't it feel bad?

Something else that felt good was the cool wood of her desk against her forehead. She had abandoned covering her face and was now slumped over her desk, not a position she was in regularly. Only one phrase was being chanted throughout her thoughts over and over again. _This is wrong. This is wrong. This is wrong._

But that dark little voice in the back of her head seemed to be a new fixture that she could not shake. A permanent thought track of, _Oh, but it's so good._

This internal struggle was giving her a headache that could down a giant. Rubbing her temples didn't help in any way. She needed something to relieve this pain, then maybe she could get on with her marking. She took several moments to ensure she left her desk before heading into her bedroom. She stopped just inside the door. Her potions were in the bathroom, in the small cupboard on the wall. No pain relief yet.

The walk back to her desk looked awfully long and the prospect of marking more bloody papers was in no way appealing. Salvation came in the form of the sound of water stopping and soft footsteps behind the locked door that lay only a few feet away.

Her eyes widened as her head filled with more of those oh so wrong but all round delicious images, causing her to automatically flee from her own bedroom. This was utterly ridiculous! She should not be behaving in such a way, why couldn't she get a grip? _Because you know that you find him attractive. He's not a boy anymore, he's a man now. Quite a good looking man at that._

That quiet voice had betrayed her, betrayed her feelings to herself, the one person who wanted to deny them the most. She had no idea why, but she felt like crying. She felt a rush of relief at no longer having to hold it back, but now she had to face the difficult task of caring for him whilst also keeping control of herself. Not thinking straight, she went straight into her room and dropped herself on the bed.

With her face buried in her hands she started to scold herself. "You're a foool, Minerva." She was unaware of the bathroom door that was now open a crack that it hadn't been before. "You foolish old woman."

"I don'tthink you're old."

His voice caused her to jump and she immediately looked to the door. How long had it been open? It slowly opened fully and Minerva stared at the man behind it. From the look on his face, he hadn't meant to say it aloud. She didn't know what to say to him but, mercifully, the silence was shattered by a coughing fit that seemed to make his whole body tense. It sounded like it was causing a lot of pain. Gladly forgetting what had been said, she went to fetch a glass of water.

He was sitting on the foot of the bed by the time she had returned and the coughing had subsided. He was rubbing his throat gingerly, as though it hurt to even touch the skin. She offered him the water which he took and drank in one go. Only then did he managed a rather hoarse thanks. "You sound terrible."

He scoffed, glancing at her. "Thank you for that observation." He commented dryly. Well, at least he was closer to his normal self now.

"You should go and check in with Poppy. No doubt she can find something to help. Didn't she warn you to look out for symptoms such as coughing?"

"I am fine, Minerva."

"But, Severus, I-"

"I said I'm fine. I don't wish to see her, no doubt she would strap me to one of her beds just so she could keep an eye on me in case I lied." He shuddered. "I'd rather stay here and just deal with it."

"If you don't visit her at some point she will just come up here looking for you."

"If I stay here, I have you for reinforcement. You would be able to assure her that everything is fine and I am no closer to dying than I usually am."

Not for the first time she felt a pang of worry at the mention of his 'observations' for the Order. "Who says that I shall help you by lying? Poppy is an old friend of mine, after all."

"Minerva," His voice was soft and automatically seized her full attention. The banter had distracted her for a while but that internal peace had been short lived. "How often do I ask you to help? I don't like being fussed over. I just.. Don't, alright?"

She nodded. "Alright then, stay here. I am sure Poppy shall check on you today but I only have marking so you won't be left alone. Not often the Head of Slytherin cowers behind me."

He merely shrugged in reply.


	8. The Artist At Work

_So, perhaps it is about time I upload a new chapter? I have been very much the absent writer for, oh, about the last eight months or so.. With college going on, don't expect too many updates but.. Well, it is me :) _

_Enjoy, guys, hope it was worth the wait!_

Things became awkward. Normal people (like you or I) would have said that nothing would have happened between the two, but Severus and Minerva are far from normal. Nothing was said, no feelings were revealed, nothing had been done to warrant such a result. But secretly, neither of them viewed it that way. Neither of them was well known for expressing themselves in anything other than controlled anger but nobody can escape their own thoughts, no matter how hard they try. Your heart, and your mind, will always betray you and get you into trouble.

Severus was rather proud of his reputation, the students feared him unless they were in his house, and even then a lot of them would jump if he suddenly appeared. He was the cold bastard that nobody really chose to be around. Although a few colleagues had gotten used to his ways over the years, nobody but Minerva or Albus would spend time with him outside of meals or meetings. He was able to keep his cool in life threatening situations and had become an incredibly successful spy. But when it came to things he was not able to control, concerning a certain woman and his actions around her, he completely fell apart inside.

He didn't really know what it was that had lured him in, perhaps it was just how alike they were, or how intelligent she was, but Severus was undeniably attracted to his former Professor. And now, staying in her quarters, things were getting more difficult. He was ill, and seemed to be getting worse as the day went on, faced with a choice of either staying with the very woman he had this unwanted crush on or sit in the hospital wing for a few weeks. With whiney, pathetic students and their bloody sniffles. If he didn't murder them, he would probably throw himself off the top of the Astronomy tower. With pleasure.

This was all easy to ignore before, distance was easy to keep when you had the freedom to move around and sleep in your own rooms. But within one night of being in her quarters, not even anywhere near her bedroom (not counting the cloak returning), he had turned to mush and softened. He could easily say he was only trying to make her feel better, to stop her from moping and kicking herself. But what had she been kicking herself over? Severus didn't bother lingering on that, of course that would be too easy and lead to things he did not want to think about out of fear of pain.

So he didn't dwell, he didn't think on it, he just ignored the little moment in her bedroom that morning. But the atmosphere had changed. It had been a little awkward, as you would expect when putting two such people together to live in such close quarters for an unknown amount of time. But it had become so much worse. Minerva had returned to her marking after Severus all but made her leave, he didn't need fussing over. He was a grown man who could take care of himself. But as the day progressed the grumpy Potions Master became restless. He wanted to work, to mark, to make potions, anything! Not sit on her sofa, reading her books, listening to each scratch of her quill on _her_ parchment, it was driving him mad. He just had to get out.

Where are you going? The quill was down and harsh eyes stared at him over the rim of glasses. He had only taken two steps towards the door!

I can't stand sitting around in here.

You rarely leave your quarters during the weekends and holidays. She pointed out and he fought the urge to roll his eyes.

I know, but these aren't my quarters. You're fine, you have your marking, now leave me be woman whilst I go and get some work done.

He should have anticipated such an act. As soon as he touched the door handle he knew she wouldn't let him out, and, sure enough, the door didn't budge no matter how hard he pulled. He spun on her and used his best glare on her. Minerva, let me out.

You know full well that doesn't work on me, She was leaning back in her high-backed chair, watching him through the lenses now. And no. You were told to rest, so stay here and rest.

He kept up his glaring even though he knew she was correct. Get me a cauldron then.

I am no slave, Severus Snape. You go and fetch it yourself.

I have to rest.

His smug smirk was something she would love to wipe off his face with a well-placed curse, and he knew it. Unfortunately the smirk disappeared as a cough bubbled to the surface but when he recovered he had noticed the empty chair. In a few short minutes the cauldron was set up and the Head of Slytherin was in his element.

Potion making was an art, and Severus was very much an artist. When he was brewing a potion, he gave his entire concentration to every single step involved, Minerva knew no witch or wizard who could brew a better potion than Severus. He was constantly improving on techniques and recipes, even creating one or two of his own. There was no denying that the man was intelligent and had an aptitude for his craft. And Minerva couldn't keep her eyes off him.

The Potions Master had summoned his kit with the help of a house elf and had raided her cupboard of limited ingredients with fervour, hunting down the things he needed from the list he knew by heart. Most of his recipes were stored in that shielded mind of his.

She watched as he expertly chopped up the roots of a few plants she couldn't hope to identify with such precision he would put any muggle chef to shame. The cauldron gently bubbled, adding a soundtrack to his chopping and crushing. He ground up some dried insects, by the looks, and added them along with some green liquid she knew was some sort of excretion from an animal. She wouldn't be able to recognise them; she'd have to read the labels he happily ignored.

The look on his face as he worked, the pure concentration in those black eyes as they flickered from bottles to jars and then back to his cauldron. He carefully stirred a number of times one way, waited, and then moved the concoction in the other direction. She couldn't help but watch him. It was kind of calming, like watching a roaring fire or water trickling down stream. She didn't even notice him looking at her, watching her watch his work. He allowed himself the smallest hint of a smile, his mind allowing him this moment of happiness. She was concentrating on him and only him, and that made him happy. He wouldn't admit that aloud though. Oh, no.


	9. Come With Me

This is the way things continued for several days and both found great comfort in their routine. Minerva would wake first, unusual when comparing the baits of the two but Severus was still quite unwell. He would sleep for an extra hour or so but was often interrupted during the night by terrible coughing. Minerva would work on any assignments she could find and he would simply brew potions. They kept to themselves during the day and welcomed the distraction.

Minerva's imagination had run rampant over the last few days, creating all sorts of situations that her brain didn't want to see but her body did. This turmoil had begun to affect her sleeping patterns. She would lay awake for hours, listening to his every move or cough, even occasionally he got up for some unknown reason. She knew it all. As time went on and the Potions Master grew worse she would spend more time fighting with herself than actually sleeping. A large part of her wanted to go and help him somehow, or at least check that he was okay. But she had not yet acted on those thoughts.

It had to be past three in the morning, he hadn't gotten to his 'bed' until two, but he had yet to fall asleep. His chest felt tight making breathing difficult and even painful if he didn't lie flat on his back. Severus wasn't a man who got sick very often but even he knew that this was no ordinary cold. It looked like he had a chest infection that just wouldn't go away. He coughed harshly for several moments before groaning hoarsely.

His throat was getting more painful by the day, his voice was going and he was now irritable as well as tired. He was always irritable, more than usual. He was unaware of his silent audience as he closed his eyes and tried again.

Minerva had finally given in and now she stood in the doorway to her bedroom, her dressing gown wrapped tight around her, just watching the man on her sofa. He still slept on that horrible thing, even though he would spend the morning grumbling about it under his breath. She smiled a little at the thought. Stubborn man. She felt like she should head back to her bed once he turned to sleep again but the attempt didn't last long.

His eyes remained closed but his body tensed with coughing. He calmed quickly and rested back down but he rubbed his throat a little. She just couldn't leave him there, she had to try and help. The blanket was draped over him up to his chest, his uneven, tricky breathing causing it to slowly slip down. He took in one rather deep breath that rattled in his chest.

"Please stop watching me." His voice was quiet and he winced as he spoke. He could feel somebody else in the room, more to the point he could hear her breathing as she stood there.

She smiled a little, she should have guessed he would be able to tell she was there. He kept himself alive for many years as a spy, not by not being observant. "I wanted to make sure you were okay."

His eyes opened again to look at her in the dim light cast from the dying fire. She was a lot closer than he had originally thought and now she moved to kneel beside him. She had a soft look in her eyes that he'd rarely ever seen before. "I don't need checking up on.."

But it looked like she wouldn't take that as a satisfactory answer as she lightly touched his hand. He didn't pull away, much to her surprise. "Won't you go and see Poppy? You sound terrible.."

"Why thank you. You're so kind to me."

"Severus, I'm being serious. I can tell it hurts you."

He looked away, scowling towards the ceiling. He didn't like to admit when he was in pain but he had been living with her for a good few days now, he couldn't get much past her in these close quarters. He didn't look back at her until she gave his hand a little squeeze.

"I don't enjoy being fussed over, Minerva, you know that. And Poppy happens to treat me like a little first year that is having their first bout of sniffles since leaving home."

"She just cares. And she sees you more often than any of us, so naturally she worries about you more. We all worry."

She knew she had spoken out of place when he scoffed and pulled his hand out from under hers to fold his arms over his chest. He cleared his throat. "I don't need you all worrying over me."

He was so stubborn that he couldn't accept people cared about him? Things hadn't been good for him when he first returned to Hogwarts as a teacher, most of the younger staff members believed him to be a Death Eater still, regardless of whether the Dark Lord was around or not. Even Minerva has been wary of him at first. But now the staff viewed him as one of their own, without a doubt. He had been here several years.

"They do. So grow up Severus and take her help. Or I shall have to take care of you myself." She didn't know as much about healing and care as she used to but she was capable enough to deal with this infection. And she had the Potions maker here with her, what could be better?

He looked back at her, considering his options. He was tired of being cooped up in here, he was desperate to get out. And maybe if he went to Poppy she might let him go home with just a few potions. His rooms were heaven in his mind at this point, those cold miserable dungeons. Home sweet home.

"I'll go and see Poppy.. But only if you come with me?" He asked rather hesitantly. He didn't ask for help and he would argue that he brought her to stop Poppy condemning him to a bed for several nights in the hospital wing, but he did enjoy her company. Had done so more and more recently. He gently laid his hand back over hers.

"Of course.."

_Tried to give it a bit of length and get something out for you guys.. I shall be thinking up the ending soon, promise to actually complete this fic :P_


	10. Caring

_I've just noticed that word auto corrected habit into bait last chapter.. My bad!_

For as long as he could remember, Severus hated people fussing over him. It wasn't that many people tried; in fact he could count the number on one hand. When he had been a child his parents hadn't cared. His Father had abused him and his Mother was too timid to do anything about it. School meant suffering through those idiotic marauders and their bullying but one person throughout those years definitely cared for him. He had loved Lily but then she was gone, in an instant. If he thought about it for too long it hurt, even to this day.

Through his adult life he had no partner, no friends and no real colleagues. Until he worked at Hogwarts, of course. At first people had been wary of him. The professors who had taught him as a boy were looking at him with fear and confusion. But as years passed and they realised he was not a danger to them, many tried to make some sort of friendship with the youngest staff member. But other than Dumbledore he had only taken to Minerva.

He had always been interested by his professor since he was a first year and the woman that he'd come to know as a teacher was very much his equal. They enjoyed very much the same things and their arguments over Quidditch were great amusement for them both.

But when it came to his colleagues caring for him, it felt odd. He preferred to heal alone, he was an able healer and could take care of himself. Why did people insist on getting in the way? And now here he was, walking to the Hospital Wing with Minerva at his side like a guide for the blind. He could see the concern in her eyes each time he paused to cough. It hurt like hell and his voice was finally starting to go but he would brave it out. It was probably just a stupid cold, everybody was overreacting.

The rows of beds were as empty as the time he had woken up in one, the matron was sitting near the back with a book. Seems like she had very little to deal with today but as soon as she saw the pair she leapt up out of her seat.

"What's wrong?"

Severus rolled his eyes, not even afraid of being seen doing so. "Nothing." He rasped.

"Severus." Minerva scolded gently before addressing the matron. "He's been coughing, a lot. We just want to make sure it's just a cold.. Nothing he's caught from the Black Lake, just from being in the cold water."

Poppy gestured for Severus to sit down on the nearest bed and with a little encouragement from Minerva he did as was wanted. He cleared his throat and winced. "I'm sure it is just a cold."

"There are all sorts of diseases and things that can be caught from the Black Lake during Winter, you should know that Severus." Now the matron was scolding him too? He scowled at both women as he was fussed over.

Poppy Pomfrey buzzed around him like a mad woman, checking everything she could reach and feeling his forehead. Honestly, why couldn't anybody just believe him that it was just a cold. But as the woman pulled back she frowned.

"Is everything alright?" He drawled, looking at her with a look of pure boredom on his pale features.

She nodded swiftly and hurried off, calling back that she had to check something. Minerva looked worried though. Severus watched her from his seat on the bed, people watching had been a fond hobby of his.

Her eyes followed the matron as she disappeared through the back then rested on her hands which she played with in front of her. He watched for several moments before reaching forwards and placing his hand over hers. "It's a cold."

She laughed a little and shrugged off his touch. "I know.."

Now he knew she wasn't convinced of that. He had never seen Minerva McGonagall very vulnerable but right now she looked worried and something within him stirred at the thought of this woman caring so much about him. He quickly pushed such foolish feelings aside but they lingered, taunting him. "Really? You seem worried."

His remark was teasing but instead of commenting in return she forced a shaky smile and sat down. Why on earth was she worrying so much over this? She was on the bed opposite him now and close enough to easily touch again. He reached over and placed his hand over hers.

"Minerva.. What's bothering you?" All teasing was gone from his tone, he sounded serious as he watched her. It took her several moments to look at him, let alone speak.

"I'm worried. I don't want anything to happen to you."

It wasn't just her words that shocked him but also her tone. She was speaking as quietly as if she were a mouse or a first year under his most intimidating glare. She really cared that much about him? He lightly squeezed her hand and she raised her gaze to meet his impossibly dark eyes.

"I'll be fine. It is just a cold. No bloody virus from the Black Lake can get me." He tried to reassure her, not quite sure how one reassured somebody. He'd never had need to do so before.

Before she could even respond Poppy had rushed back into the room and faced the pair who parted from their close quarters. "I have a proper diagnosis, I know what is wrong."

Probably not the way you guys wanted this to end but I'll be finishing up next chapter. Should be longer and hopefully out before Christmas :D

I was thinking of doing a sort of series of one shots for my next project, based around my new story Christmas and chess. Perhaps doing points in their lives from student to where I left off and perhaps even past that.  
I would love to know your guys' thoughts on that before I embark on it

Hope you enjoyed and have a good Christmas time,  
Al


	11. Sniffles

_Last bit, guys. This didn't go the way I planned but I hope it didn't disappoint overall._

"A proper diagnosis? You mean, at last, we know what is bothering me? Finally." Maybe then he would finally be able to return to his own quarters, to live without somebody constantly looking over his shoulder for any signs that he might drop dead of some odd virus or bug. But he didn't mind being with Minerva all the time, he had come to accept that fact. He enjoyed her company.

"Yes, I know what is wrong with you. It's just a cold." Poppy smiled at the pair but Severus didn't share in the relief.

"Just a cold? Really? That was all that was wrong with me this entire time, a bad cold?" His voice was getting louder and louder as the realisation that he had spent so long under care because he had a mild case of the bloody sniffles!

"Severus, calm down. It could have been worse, we were lucky that it was just this. But you do have a bad chest infection; it might take you some time to get over that." The matron tried to reason but she already knew that it was a lost cause. This was Severus Snape after all.

He stood up from the bed and started to walk out, muttering to himself as he went. "I don't believe this. All of this for nothing.."

The large wooden doors closed behind the Potions Master, leaving the two women shaking their heads in defeat. "He does realise that he could have died from something in that lake. He's just annoyed."

Poppy knew that Minerva was just trying to help but.. She never took anything Severus did or said to heart anymore. If somebody did that they would drive themselves mad dwelling over it in no time. "Perhaps you should just go after him? No doubt he's already halfway to the dungeons by now but he needs these potions to help clear his lungs."

Minerva took the potions but she knew better as to where he was headed. At least, she hoped she knew better. She fully expected him to have gone to her quarters instead of his own. If only to collect his things, but they had had some good times together over the last while. She hoped he would head there to calm down.

The vials were tucked safely into her pocket as she entered her own rooms. Sure enough, she had a guest. He was sat on the edge of the sofa, staring into the brightly burning flames of the fire he had lit before they left. His hands were clasped before him and he didn't seem to notice her arrival. But she knew better, no man knew their surroundings better than Severus.

"You rushed off without collecting your potions."

"I could just make them myself." He grunted, the sofa dipping beside him as she joined him. He spared a glance for the vials she placed on the table before them.

"You're not well enough.." Well she knew that was a lie and expected the scoff that sounded from her companion. "Alright, so maybe you are. But there was no need to storm out of there like some child, one of your students."

He scowled, letting himself fall back into the 'comfort' of the sofa. "I just lost several weeks of my life for a miserable little cold."

"Lost them? I'm sorry, I thought we were getting along better than ever before thanks to this forced captivity of yours. So you think you've entirely wasted them?" She challenged with a slight smirk but she was a little hurt at the possibility he did think them a waste.

"I.. I don't think that." He muttered quietly. "I'm glad we're getting along better.. But I don't like being stuck in one place."

"I know, I know, Severus. But do grow up once in a while. You went through a scare and came out of it far better off. Of course, you'll be unable to teach for the first week but you'll get plenty of work done in your own quarters again. So long as you take those potions, you can head home." She shrugged and stood up, planning on returning to her desk. But his hand closing around her wrist stopped her.

"Wait a second." He gently tugged her back down and she obliged, sitting a little closer to him than last time. He sat up, his hold slipping down to hold her hand instead of wrist. "What if I don't want to leave here yet?"

She had not expected that. His admission caused her to smile and she gently squeezed his hand. "You can stay a little longer.. Perhaps you do still need somebody to look after you?"

Her voice had dropped and he slowly leant a little closer to her. "Maybe. Would you be willing to do so? Perhaps for the next week or so?"

"Ah, Severus, unlike you, I do have classes to teach. I don't have an excuse to stay in my rooms all week."

"No? I am sure I can fix that somehow.." His lips brushed against hers so lightly it was barely even a touch but every nerve in her body was set on fire.

"Severus Snape, are you planning on sharing your cold with me?"

He smiled, his warm breath brushing over her lips as he stayed so close to her. "Well not from that, Minerva. But perhaps from this.."

The second kiss was nothing like the last. His lips upon hers were firm, his tongue probing gently for entry to her own. She responded eagerly and only lack of air split the pair from their passionate kiss. Her hand came up to his face, her fingertips softly running over his cheek and across his jaw.

"I like your plan, Professor Snape.."

_There we go guys! Sorry if it failed you, I wanted to wrap it up so I could get on with Evolution and finish Team Bonding also. One or the other should also be up this week, or next at the very latest. Depends on how my college exams go.._

_Hope you enjoyed!_

_Anybody like watching gaming videos? Assassin's Creed, Lego Harry Potter, Minecraft etc.. Check out my youtube? __.com/thegummybearsunite_


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